Abstract: The invention is based on the problem of creating an additional device to act as a “secondary emergency device” in the case that one or more standard emergency devices fail to adjust the blade angle of one or multiple rotor blades into a position of power limitation. The method of braking a wind turbine in an emergency by adjusting the rotor blades for wind turbines with power control via the principle of pitch control or active stall control and of holding the position of a rotor blade for each rotor blade with at least one actuator and at least one holding brake is a redundant measure for an emergency. This enables one or more holding brakes to open depending on the rotor-blade direction that is required and to close or to be kept closed when an adjustment of a rotor-blade direction is not desired.

Abstract: The invention concerns a transition body arranged between a lower section and an upper section of a tower for a wind energy plant. The lower tower section is constructed from several corner posts configured as hollow profiles and the upper tower section is configured in the form of a tubular tower which is essentially round in cross section, with a bottom and a connection flange disposed above the bottom for connecting the upper tower section. The bottom and the flange connect the upper tower section and are joined together by at least one metal casing sheet. The connection of the bottom to the at least one metal casing sheet is a welded construction. A number of connection areas is provided on the underside of its bottom, corresponding to the number of corner posts of the lower tower section.

Abstract: A wind turbine system includes a shaft, a rotor for driving the shaft, and a first fluidic teeter control assembly. The rotor includes a first blade engaged to the shaft by a hub, and has a degree of freedom to pivot relative to the shaft. A first teeter angle is defined between an instantaneous position of the first blade and a time-averaged plane of rotation of the first blade. The first fluidic teeter control assembly is engaged between the rotor and the shaft for providing a first dynamic teeter restraining force as a function of the first teeter angle and a fluidic resistance. The first dynamic restraining force is relatively low when the first teeter angle is within a first teeter operation range, and the first dynamic restraining force is higher when the first teeter angle is outside that range.

Abstract: A method for the oscillation damping of a drive train in a wind turbine is proposed. The drive train connects a rotor to a generator. Parameter values representing an oscillation of the drive train are calculated and, on the basis of the calculated parameter values, damping forces which counteract the oscillation of the drive train are exerted in a controlled manner on the drive train by a braking device.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for counteracting wind gusts and other high load situations in a wind turbine includes the use of one or more gust counteracting devices configured to extend an air deflector outwardly from a surface of a turbine rotor blade. The air deflector may subsequently be retracted into the rotor blade once the wind gust has subsided or once the load falls below a certain threshold. Mechanisms for extending and retracting the air deflector may include pneumatic or hydraulic systems and/or electromechanical devices. Air deflectors are generally configured to normalize air flow around the rotor blade so that the risk of potential damage to components of the wind turbine is minimized. In one arrangement, the gust counteracting device may be located at a leading section of the turbine blade. Additionally or alternatively, the device may be modular in nature to facilitate the removal and replacement of the device.

Abstract: A wind turbine system includes a shaft, a rotor for driving the shaft, and a first fluidic teeter control assembly. The rotor includes a first blade engaged to the shaft by a hub, and has a degree of freedom to pivot relative to the shaft. A first teeter angle is defined between an instantaneous position of the first blade and a time-averaged plane of rotation of the first blade. The first fluidic teeter control assembly is engaged between the rotor and the shaft for providing a first dynamic teeter restraining force as a function of the first teeter angle and a fluidic resistance. The first dynamic restraining force is relatively low when the first teeter angle is within a first teeter operation range, and the first dynamic restraining force is higher when the first teeter angle is outside that range.

Abstract: A turbine for use with a turbine generator, the turbine including at least one turbine blade for positioning in a flowpath, a hub mounting the at least one turbine blade, and a rotatable shaft in operational communication with the hub via a hinge assembly, an axis of the hub being independent of an axis of the shaft. The hinge assembly is disposed between the shaft and the hub and configured to adjust an angle therebetween. A controller assembly is configured to adjust at least one operational characteristic of the hinge assembly during turbine operation. In one embodiment the operational characteristic is a teeter angle of the hinge assembly. In one embodiment operational characteristic is a stiffness or damping force. Methods for using and controlling a fluid turbine are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine that includes at least one rotor shaft and at least one blade operatively coupled to the rotor shaft includes measuring a first wind turbine operational condition that is representative of a blade deflection value and generating a first operational condition signal based on that first wind turbine operational condition. The wind turbine also includes a drive train including at least one rotor shaft and an electric generator. The method also includes measuring at least one second wind turbine operational condition and generating at least one second operational condition signal. The method further includes changing the blade deflection value by changing the second operational condition.

Abstract: A wind turbine has a hub mounted on a rotatable shaft with a ring concentrically mounted on the shaft. The ring is connected to drive wheels, which in turn drive generators to produce electricity. A controller is connected to control the speed of the turbine by controlling the number and force of contact between the wheels and the ring and also controlling other components such as the pitch, yaw and brakes for the turbine while monitoring the wind conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus for stabilizing a shaft in an essentially horizontal position while an anchoring object at one end of the shaft is replaced without removal of an object at the opposite end of the shaft that would otherwise tend to destabilize the shaft from its essentially horizontal position includes a half-spool member configured to clamp above and around the shaft to resist torque around the rotor, under supports configured to attach to the half-spool member and clamp an underside of the shaft below the half-spool member, and a hydraulic or mechanical brake configured to resist torque on the shaft when the brake is engaged.

Abstract: A structure of an upwind type wind turbine and the operating method thereof capable of preventing the occurrence of damage of the blades by evading excessive irregular loads from acting on the blades in the slanting direction in the event of power failure when strong wind blows, are provided. In the upwind type wind turbine having a nacelle supported for rotation on a support, the nacelle is rotated to a downwind position by rotating it by 180° from a normal upwind position and kept in stand-by condition at a downwind position when detected wind speed is higher than the predetermined cutout wind speed, which is the reference wind speed for shifting to an idle operation state. When the detected wind speed is higher than the DWSS wind speed determined based on the maximum permissible instantaneous wind speed, the nacelle is rotated from an upwind position to a downwind position and the yaw brake is released.

Abstract: A spoiler flap is pivotably mounted to the rearward portion of a wind turbine blade or wing to control or influence air flow over the surface of the blade or wing. The spoiler flap has forward and rearward edges. The spoiler flap can be pivoted to simultaneously raise the forward edge (into low pressure flow) and lower the rearward edge of the spoiler flap (into high pressure flow). The extent to which the spoiler flap is pivoted determines the extent to which the air flow over the surface of the blade or wing is influenced. When the spoiler flap is fully deployed or pivoted, it serves as a braking device. When it is only partially pivoted, it serves the function of power modulation.

Abstract: A wing for a wind rotor of a windmill has a main part and a turnable part that serves as an aerodynamic brake. The main part of the wing has an outer end spaced radially inward from the wing tip and a notched partial-chord edge portion extending radially inward from the outer end for part of its length. The turnable part includes a first section and a second section. The first section is a full-chord outer tip portion of the wing that extends radially outward from the outer end of the main part of the wing. The second section is a partial-chord portion that extends radially inward from the first section in the notched region of the main part of the wing. Hinges located at the outer end and at the radially inner extent of the notched edge portion of the main part connect the second section of the turnable part to the main part for turning about a pivot line between a stowed position and a deployed position.

Abstract: A wind energy conversion system includes specially shaped blades mounted in a specific location on a specially shaped blade-supporting body to maximize energy conversion from wind energy to electrical energy. The blade-supporting body includes a concave section located upstream of a convex section, with the two sections being joined together at a location of maximum diameter. The blades are mounted on the body at the location of maximum diameter. Each blade includes two surfaces each of which includes a concave section and a convex section. The blade surfaces are spaced apart from each other by a blade thickness dimension that increases from essentially zero at blade tips to a maximum adjacent to a blade longitudinal axis that extends from a blade proximal end mounted on the blade-supporting body to a distal end spaced from said blade-supporting body.

Abstract: An anti-deployment device and method for preventing inadvertent deployment of a ram air turbine of an aircraft during servicing or repair of turbine employ an anti-deployment pin which can be manually inserted in a support arrangement for the pin on the aircraft when the ram air turbine is in the stowed position for preventing deployment of the turbine upon release of a lock mechanism which locks the turbine in the stowed position. The pin has an elongated body with an outer, flat contact surface portion which extends in a plane that is inclined with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the pin.

Abstract: A yawing system for a wind mill consists of two yawing motors (9, 11) acting on a toothed rim of the yawing bearing. On each its drive shaft (21) the motors (9, 11) are provided with a free wheel (23) and an electromagnetic friction brake (25). The free wheel devices (23) are directed opposite each other. A control system operates in a passive state in such a manner that the motors give opposite and relative to the braking moment of the brake (25) of a second motor smaller torque thereby avoiding dead clearance between drive wheel (15) and toothed rim (17) while at the same time keeping the generator housing (5) of the mill at rest. In the active state of the control system both brakes (25) are disengaged and both motors give a higher torque in the same direction. The system acts as a shock absorber by loads exceeding the fixed slip moment of the friction brake (25).

Abstract: A double-acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally mounted between the head and tail assemblies of a wind turbine, to act as a damper. The cylinder is connected with a hydraulic fluid reservoir container. Means, such as restrictive orifices, are provided to control the rates of flow in the fluid lines between the cylinder and the reservoir, so that the rate of pivoting of the head assembly when furling is relatively fast and relatively slow when unfurling.

Abstract: An improvement of the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,075 permits the propeller assembly of a wind energy system to swing in two directions, both left and right with respect to wind direction. The improvement includes a snubber assembly which has a plurality of springs mounted on a central bar.

Abstract: A new type of overspeed control system for a rotor driven by wind or some other fluid flow. The rotor support is mounted so that it can move back some small distance along the direction of the fluid flow, the rotor axis remaining in substantially the same direction during this movement. This backward movement is in response to the thrust generated by the lift and drag forces on the rotor impellers. At a predetermined thrust force, indicating that the rotor is operating in a fluid velocity high enough to cause overspeeding, the backward movement of the rotor engages a brake to slow the rotor. Essential to the invention is the use of the backward movement of the rotor to brake the rotor.

Abstract: A wind turbine having a generally vertically extending support tower upon which are mounted a front or blade section and a rear or tail section. The front section includes a generally horizontal drive shaft which is connected to a vertical drive shaft in the support tower. The rear or tail section is rotatably mounted on the support structure to permit radial oscillation of the tail section. The blade and tail section are releasably interconnected to each other such that upon manual operation of a latch, the rear or tail section can pivot independently from the front or blade section. The front section is upwardly inclined relative to the rear section whereby a universal joint is provided in the vertical drive shaft to insure that a portion of the vertical drive shaft remains perpendicular to the horizontal drive shaft connected to the front or blade section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the maximum power of a hydraulic windmill which is achieved by utilizing the overpressure created in a closed loop hydraulic energy conversion system to rotate the tail of the windmill away from its operating plane to reduce the power transmitted from the wind to the blades of the windmill. A mechanical braking mechanism may be applied to the windmill blade driven rotatable shaft upon a sensed overpressure in the hydraulic fluid which acts through a differential between the hydraulic overpressure and a preset pressure to effect closure of the brake.

Abstract: A wind energy plant is protected against damage from high winds by permitting the propeller assembly thereof to fold with respect to the tail assembly of the plant when the wind velocity with respect to the plant exceeds a predetermined value. Return of the propeller assembly to a wind facing orientation is controlled to prevent oscillating or whipping in gusty or turbulent winds. A safety system is included to control plant shutdown, and automatically shuts down the plant if the plant is being subjected to excessive vibration.